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33
"At the Conference the view was generally expressed that Sanitary Authorities
"have been hampered in their efforts to check the spread of the disease by the absence
"of early information of cases, and the question was considered whether this difficulty
"would be removed if Measles were made a notifiable disease.
"On this question widely divergent views as to the value of notification were
"shown to exist. A very large number of cases are not attended by a doctor, and it
"was pointed out that in such cases the adoption of the Notification Act would be a
"dead letter.
"It may also be observed that the notification of Measles has been tried in a large
"number of towns and then abandoned.
"Without, therefore, expressing any view on the question whether the notification
"of Measles would be justified, it is clear that such other means of obtaining informa"tion
as are available should be fully utilised.
"The Board find that the School Attendance Department of the London Education
"Authority have supplied much valuable information as regards Measles in the past,
"and in view of the proceedings at the Conference, it appeared to the Board that it
"might be practicable to arrange that this source of information should be made more
"readily available.
"On this question the Board have consulted the Board of Education, and it has
"now been arranged that so long as the present emergency lasts the School Attendance
"Officers will give speedy information to the Medical Officers of Health of all cases of
"illness coming under their notice. It is hoped that by this means early information
"of the majority of cases of Measles will reach the Medical Officers of Health.
"The information thus obtained will necessarily require to be followed up.
"Probably many cases will be reported which are not Measles, and arrangements should
"be made for obtaining a proper diagnosis, for securing that the cases are properly
"isolated, and for urging on the parents the need of obtaining medical aid where such
"aid is required.
"No doubt the Council's official who visits the home will be able to do much in
"the way of giving advice as to the care and nursing of the patients.
"Removal to Hospital.
"The Board have been in correspondence with the Metropolitan Asylums Board,
"and it is understood that the Board will agree to receive cases of Measles on the
"recommendation of the Medical Officer of Health. The accommodation of the
"Metropolitan Asylums Board for this purpose is necessarily limited, and arrangements
"will be made by which preference will be given to those cases most needing hospital
treatment.
"The Board may also remind the Borough Council that they have power to provide
"temporary hospitals, and if at a subsequent date the amount of accommodation for
"measles which is available in the hospitals of the Metropolitan Asylums Board should
"come to be exhausted, this power might have to be utilised.
"Staff required for dealing with outbreak.
"For dealing with this outbreak and properly following up the information which
"will be obtained, it is essential that each Medical Officer of Health should be provided